Shloka 56

Adhyāya 199: Karma–Jñāna Causality and the Nirguṇa Brahman

Manu’s Instruction

Devanagari script

ददस्वेति त्वया चोक्तं ददानीति मया तथा । न वाचं दूषयिष्यामि सत्यं रक्ष स्थिरो भव,आपने कहा था कि “दीजिये” और मैंने कहा था कि “दूँगा'--ऐसी दशामें मैं अपनी बात झूठी नहीं करूँगा। आप सत्यकी रक्षा कीजिये और इसके लिये सुस्थिर हो जाइये

Transliteration

dadasveti tvayā coktaṃ dadānīti mayā tathā | na vācaṃ dūṣayiṣyāmi satyaṃ rakṣa sthiro bhava ||

Translation

ท่านกล่าวว่า “จงให้” และข้าพเจ้าก็ตอบว่า “ข้าพเจ้าจะให้” ในสถานการณ์เช่นนี้ ข้าพเจ้าจะไม่ทำให้วาจาของตนมัวหมองด้วยการทำให้เป็นเท็จ จงพิทักษ์สัจจะ—จงยืนหยัดมั่นคงเพื่อสัจธรรมนั้น

Word by Word

• {'dadasva': 'give (imperative, ‘do give’)', 'iti': 'thus

• quotation marker', 'tvayā': 'by you', 'ca': 'and', 'uktam': 'said

• spoken', 'dadāni': 'I give / I will give', 'mayā': 'by me', 'tathā': 'so

• in the same manner', 'na': 'not', 'vācam': 'speech

• promise', 'dūṣayiṣyāmi': 'I shall corrupt/defile

• I shall make blameworthy', 'satyam': 'truth

• truthfulness', 'rakṣa': 'protect

• guard (imperative)', 'sthiraḥ': 'steady

• firm', 'bhava': 'be (imperative)'}

Speaker

ब्राह्मण उवाच

Characters & Entities

• ब्राह्मण (a Brahmin speaker)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Truthfulness is upheld as a dharmic absolute: once a promise is given, one should not ‘defile’ one’s word. The verse frames satya as something to be actively protected through steadiness and resolve.

What is happening in the narrative?

A Brahmin recalls an exchange—one party urged, “Give,” and he answered, “I will give.” He now insists he will not let his statement become false, urging firmness in safeguarding truth and honoring the commitment.